In a close and hotly contested race focusing mainly on the stagnant economy, President Barack H Obama would prove himself once again the better of two evils by a smaller margin than in 2008. In doing so, he would become the first president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt to win re-election with reduced popular and electoral college votes.

His main opponent, Former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts ran on his business experience with the defict and taxes as his issues of focus. Few had expected him to significantly hurt Obama's re-election prospects, even when US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's swing vote effectively struck down several provisions of ObamaCare as unconstitutional. Many pundits accredit this to the similarity of Romney's own healthcare reform law in the state of Massachusetts (see 'ObamneyCare').

A convention divided by his primary opponents in Tampa Bay nominated Romney's Running Mate pick of Bobby Jindal on a roll call as a self-aggranidizing display of power. The delegates second choice was Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a choice many believe cost Romney the election by denying him the support of popular libertarian Congressman (and father to the Senator, Ron Paul) and diverting it to the spoiler Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson. However, others believe a running mate from any one of the election's three key swing states would have been the smarter choice.

The man who derided Obama's lack of shovel-ready jobs created threw his hat in the race for the Libertarian nomination after dropping out of the GOP race before the primaries. Many think he handed Nevada and Colorado to Obama and may have hurt Romney in New Hampshire and Ohio sufficiently to deprive him of victory. His response to the September and October massacres in Syria of rebels combatants received widespread attention when he proposes the US withdraw all aid to "level the playing field strategically".

Jill Stein, baptised in the 2006 Gubernatorial election in Massachusetts fires up her Occupy Protestors in Zucotti Park, campaigning for electoral reform and her Green New Deal over the Internet mainly. She was never considered a spoiler for Obama's reelection, unlike Ralph Nader in 2000.

The debates would all work in Obama's favour. His executive order to allow Greens and Libertarians take the stage in the first debate was seen as risky but probably boosted his ratings by making him seem above it all. Romney's proposal to blockade Syria would provide Obama with ammuntion to destroy the GOP candidate's foreign policy credibility, replying "Governor Romney doesn't know how hard it is to put US troops in harm's way. How easy it is to get tangled up in violent conflicts halway across the world. The American people do remember however..."

The President would also call for a Congressional commission on the atrocities and attend a helpful UN Convention on them also, increasing his incumbent man-in-charge factor. Polls indicate he won a greater number of independents due to his military command but fewer liberal support. According to the same poll conducted by Reuters, he won women voters over in a landslide while Romney won a plurality of males.

The Senate stays in Democratic control (50-48-2) just barely, with a new GOP cleansed of moderates like Lugar and Snowe, a Democratic Party not without a few blue dogs like Donnelly and Manchin and a new Independent from the state of Maine, Fmr Gov Angus King, who promises to caucus with President Obama and the current Democratic Senatorial leadership.

With no option receiving a majority of votes, never mind the 'overwhelming majority' Presdent Obama deemed necessary, Congress won't act on the non-binding plebiscite ballot, but a vocal bipartisan contingent of the House and Senate's Hispanic caucus and Governor Luis Fortuno voice their desire for a runoff referendum between free association (or 'enhanced commonwelath' status) and American statehood, in the hopes that such a state may provide their party's Presidential nominee with the necessary votes to win in a close 2016 election.

After having passed a constitution favouring the Semi-Presidential system in July of last year, the Libyan General Congress dissolves to face it's country's first ever free election and the world holds it's collective breath. Independent Abdurrahim El-Keib faces the recently-formed National Forces Party candidate and former Quaddafi regime official Mahmoud Jibril, who also preceded El-Keib as Interim Prime Minister. The dynamic of the runoff race is much like Egypt's in 2012, with a reformer fighting the Old Guard 'convenenient defector'. Congratulations are forthcoming form the GCC, Arab League, Muslim Brotherhood and Western nations as a sign of much-needed stability.

National Forces capture a plurality of seats in the parliamentary elections and Jibril becomes Prime Minister.

As Vice-President Joseph Robinette Biden and President Barack Hussein Obama are re-sworn in to their respective offices in that order, before the former delivers his Inaugural Address.

"My fellow citizens: I stand here today honoured by your commitment to the principles I have expounded. Your enduring faith in and commitment to change is a reflection of the best we as a people represent...

We have crushed those forces that sought to misrepresent a people as violent and hateful while those same cultures once so opposed to us as a result of our wars of aggression have been reborn as allies. But clearly our work is not done and it will take a still different approach to heal those old wounds...

For we are all Americans, black or white; gay or straight; rich or poor; religious or irreligious and we all have things to contribute to this great society of ours, and we all deserve a fair shot at the American Dream...

Let us continue to build that more perfect union. Thank you!"

"Not quite the triumphant Socialist rally for Revolution many Republicans warned us of, but it could be said it was the first inaugural address in which the inaugurated closed without 'God Bless America' refreshingly and most notably, referred to gay Americans. Something this commentator was very grateful for."

-Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

"You'd expect something more declarative after four years in office: a mission statement, if you will. All the American people got today was more nothing intoned with the President's characteristic self-importance. He refers to gay Americans, the irreligious as he puts it but omits those timeless words, God Bless America? Unthinkable."

Newly reinaugurated President Obama nominates Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts to fill the post of Secretary of State.

His nomination is considered an uncontroversial and predictable one and he is confirmed on a unanimous vote of acclamation.

Another more difficult nomination will have to be made upon the resignation of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Her health was said to be deteriorating after almost twenty years of service on the court and she is believed to have waited for the results of the election before she stepped down. With a Democrat-controlled Senate mostly returned, it seems the President will be able to push his nominee, Harold Hongju Koh, through.

^50-49

On a roll-call vote with freshman Senator Joe Donnelly abstaining, the Senate confirms Harold Hongju Koh. Blue dogs and all Republicans but Senator John McCain question his citing of universal legal precedent as equal in importance to US law as unAmerican while Democrats and maverick Republican John McCain consider his defense of drone strikes s American enough.

The American people did not choose to stay this course with us because they thought we would allow aggressors like Bashar al-Assad to remain in power. If any of you were uncertain of my position on this, let me make it certain, that I will pursue his removal from office with every tool at my disposal. The United States can not and will not stand idly by while these atrocities are committed...

In the eternal wisdom of the American voter, this Congress has been returned as one half Republican and one half Democratic. They would not have voted this way if they felt so strongly partisan in their intent and we must respond not with empty rhetoricbut with compromise, with solutions equally pleasing to both sides of the aisle...

We have seen the economies of once mighty empires fall while countries which were once considered peasant lands now explore the Solar System with their own space programs. In a world where China can produce and export peanuts cheaper than any Georgia farmer can, or microchips with less regard to the environment than any Silicon Valley manufacturer it is becoming harder and harder for the honest American entrepeneur or worker to compete. But just like these once poor nations have arisen so spectacularly, American will surely rebound..."

C'mon, John. You know this is what the people want. If you want to keep ye seat as bad as I used to you'd heed the polls.

Joe, this is something we're just fundamentally, ideologically opposed on. It'd take a brain transplant to get my vote on this. Which the government no longer provides funding for anyway thanks to my tireless efforts

You know, we -I coulda jsut went straight to to the handful of your guys who really care about the deficit. I'm here out of appreciation for you as a speaker, a statesman if you will. Big ears thought we should do it the other way...

Well, I appreciate you're appreciating me, Mr Vice President. But on the off chance, do you think big e -the President would like to hear our side of the deal?

Sure, fire away (winks and smiles). I won't tell him who told me...

You say he wants these extensions for the bottom whatever it is percent, right? Now, you know as well as I this guy isn't fearing re-election right now. The two of you ain't. And we can all agree on the deficit as a priority, yeah? I mean he ain't exactly Hubert H Humphrey, right?

I'm... following you.... You want... cuts in Medicare? Medicaid? We're open to that...

[surprised] Well... Yes, we would want that with the er... ceasing er... discontinuation of the tax cuts for the bottom percentile as well as... ye know. Another Deficit Reduction Act. Bipartisan. What's not to like?

It's good to talk with reasonable people in powerful places. You get stuff done.

Biden finishes his coffee before grabbing his coat off the stand at the door.

Yeah, if only we had a one-party state. No wonder China's kicking our ass.

(laughs) Well, I'll tell our illustrious leader and get back to you. You guys still have your poker games every Friday?

Na, no time now. Being Majority Leader and all...

Me, I've got nothing but time.

They both laugh, bid goodnight to one another but no sooner the Vice president's left, the Speaker is on the phone to Maj Whip Cantor.

Yeah, i've just been talking to Ol' chicory. Looks like we've got a deal...

The White House, following though on a last-ditch campaign promise to GOTV, announces it's intention to block the Keystone Pipeline XL extension amidst energised enviromental protests across the country, which call for a complete refusal and decommisioning of the pipelines. By presenting this, the news media paints the President as a middle-of-the-road Great Compromiser and his approval ratings rise.

Also announced is the Administration's intention to attend a UN conference on the Syrian crisis, in the hopes that the international community will be willing to levy sanctions on the wartorn nation and it's widely-considered 'illegitimate' government.

On the domestic front, the drafting of a first budget to Congress begins...

The new austerity budget, which includes the Obama tax hikes; cuts in Medicare and Medicaid as well as in defense, passes the House 217 - 214 and the Senate 48-47 with some controversial absences. President Obama will take a lot of flak from the Party, with Bernie Sanders calling him a DINO for his decision to cooperate but he insists it was in the "vital national interest to solve our fiscal woes together".

Meanwhile at the UN, the Chinese and Russian delegations gear up to veto another UN resolution, but the US will cancel at the last minute upon, unbeknownst to the rest of the Congress, realising the greater effectiveness of circumventing the likely veto by speaking to more open EU officials. EU High Rep for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton beilieves the Union is under too great a strain with it's current oil sanctions in place on Iran. The US considers the upcoming Iranian Presidential elections and the obligatory Syrian sanctions weighing upon them too big an opportunity to miss, and so commences Operation Flourishing Democracy...

Barry Obama talks with newly appointed Chief of Staff Jay Carney in the Oval Office.

That's a pretty gay name, isn't it? Flourishing Democracy? Did we fire the guy who came up with Neptune's Spear? Just Cause?

They were too different guys, Sir.

I liked returning to the mythical themes of the early days you know. Operation Ajax. I was ready for a... Zeus's Beard or something.

It's too... flowery...

Yeah, yeah. Like Buttercup Dreams or some sh**t.

How about Galvanised Response?

(laughs) Na. No, no. It needs to be curt and authoritative, but sexy. Like...

A new pro-Assad Islamic uprising is incited in Iraq, in part as a response to the authoritative response of Western leaders to the kindling Civil War. An attempt on President Talabani's life will fail but will bring the country closer to the brink after the Iraqi government's reaction to round up families in villages where supposed terrorist sympathizers reside.

UN Special Envoy and former US President James Earl Carter travels to Egypt to mediate a renewal of the peace treaty between Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Carter's presence angers both groups as a sign of Western interventionism and Islamic favouritism (due to the 39th President's renowned commentary on Israel) respectively.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and a Secretariat of Health delegation convene with President Barack Obama and a Kathleen Sebelius-led DHHS delegation at the North American Anti-Drug Trafficking Summit. They both agree that a new approach is necessary and in the words of Obama, "We can't Just Say No anymore. Those days are behind us. We need to drastically change course in the War on Drugs. We can win it as a war of attrition by focusing on those committing the crimes of drug-related violence and save the taxpayer money while ensuring their safety also." Nieto concurs and also promises to aid the President in similar cross-border crime fighting missions.

In a closer and less controversial election than the last, Parliamentary Chairman and former Speaker Ali Larijani would, under the Abadgaran banner, once again defeat Reform candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi. Fewer irregularities were reported, but suspicions were raised when many of the more hardline anti-Western pro-Ahmajinedad candidates fell ill or dropped out even though polls favoured them. Many suspected foul play on behalf of the Larijani camp in the form of intimidation or extortion, but more hushed voices suspected the West. Mir-Hossein Mousavi called to congratulate President-Elect Larijani as well as incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the expected fellow OPEC nations; Brazil, Russia and China; but most surprisingly, Larijani recieves a phone call from none other than President Barack Hussein Obama II:

Congratulations, Chairman Larijani. or should that be President Larijani now?

(laughs statesmanishly) It will be a week from now. Thank you very much for your call, Mr President

I hope you and I can negotiate more successfully than myself and your predecessor did, Chairman.

My President, Mr President.

Yes, of course. That's what I meant.

I hope together we can make this world a safer place for our children.

I very much appreciate that, Mr Chairman and i wish you all the best.

Obama puts the phone down then throws a mini basketball through a hoop attached to the back of one of the Oval Office doors to tha applause of a State Department contingent.

After three years in government, the Tory-Lib Dem coalition disintegrates and a united left-wing new New Labour vowing to protect public service jobs from Tory cuts is ready to administer Westminster with a shot of post-Blair red-to-the-underwear virtues. PM Cameron steps down and MP Miliband accept's the Queen's offer to form a new government.